Vince McMahon was less than impressed with an announcer imitating him during an episode of Raw.
The January 6th 2014 episode of the flagship show had a very different look and feel. Dubbed Old School Raw, the show revived the look of the early days of the red brand almost 21 years on from the debut broadcast. Along with vintage logos, staging and referee uniforms, the announce team of Michael Cole and John “Bradshaw” Layfield also got into the spirit of things by wearing retro suits. JBL’s attire looked very familiar, donning the iconic red suit previously worn by McMahon.
Prior to becoming the maniacal chairman who defined the company for multiple decades, fans of early episodes of Raw will remember McMahon as a key fixture behind the desk. Like all good announcers, McMahon had some signature lines behind the desk such as “What a manoeuvre!” “Forget about it!” and “That’s gotta be Kane!” Committing to giving the episode an old school feel, JBL would pepper in McMahonisms throughout the broadcast, until the WWE Chairman got wise to it.
With a fan acknowledging that it has been 10 years since the broadcast, a picture of Michael Cole and JBL was uploaded to social media. The former WWE Champion revealed how he made fun of McMahon with the iconic lines before hearing a familiar voice over the headset:
Funny story about this, I was using Vince’s catchphrases but he wasn’t saying anything. He obviously was very busy and hadn’t heard me yet, someone buzzed him. Finally I hear in my ear ‘you’re fired’ in that iconic baritone voice. Lol!
Another Former Announcer Told Off By Vince McMahon
Wanting as much control of the show as possible, many announcers have recalled bizarre directives issued to them by McMahon over the years, all while also trying to call the action to the audience at home. In another strange Vince McMahon story, another former WWE announcer has revealed that they were told off for having too much fun.